Nest and Nibble: Organize, BABY!

How to fit 0 - 24 months in one closet.

I have been on an organizing kick lately. I love it so much. Its really one of my hobbies. My husband thinks I'm crazy because I like to walk down the storage aisle at Walmart and fantasize about how I could organize stuff.

I now have two beautiful girls- one is 2 1/2 and the other is almost 4 months. I have been so blessed to have family and friends who have given me so many beautiful hand-me-downs. And really, everything has been in such great condition, they feel brand new! I have barely needed to buy them anything besides diapers and such. Storage is always an issue when you have kids - so I have been trying to figure out the best way to store everything while keeping it neat and accessible. I found with Taylor that there were so many outfits she grew out of before she wore them because they were at the bottom of the drawer. I could never find what I was looking for and it was really frustrating.

Storage can be a huge investment. I watch shows like The Amandas on HGTV and see all the beautiful baskets and containers they get. Have you seen how much a basket is at Walmart? They want anywhere from $7 - $30! I don't know about you, but I can't swing that if I have to buy multiple baskets or containers for one project.

Solution? The Dollar Store and and a little creativity.

The dollar store in Spanish Fork has an amazing storage selection. Check this little guy out:

Here are some tips for keeping things organized:

1. Get rid of stuff. We all have things that we hang on to that we really don't need. It took me getting to baby #2 to realize that I don't need 4 pairs of 6-12 month blue jeans. She really won't wear all of them. She has pink, purple, blue, white, and tan jeans in the same size. Over the last year I have been purging so much clothing- mine, John's, the kids...and I haven't missed anything. For adults, here is a good rule of thumb: If you have not worn it in over a year, get rid of it. You can do it- just let it go! Pass them along to someone who needs them or find a good charity. Here is what I purged from Avery's wardrobe- and this is only size 0-9 months!

2. Think outside of the dresser. Since I don't have a dresser in Avery's room, I turned to other means of storage. I love to use plastic drawers in the closet. They are very inexpensive and they hold a lot. I also like the hanging storage from Ikea- its only $9.99

3. Buy Storage to meet specific needs. Everything should have a place. Some of the hardest things to keep organized are small things. I always find myself digging through the girl's drawers looking for leggins, tights, socks, etc. So- I found these great little organizers at the dollar store. And they are so cute!

I was able to have all of the clothing in one place- which makes it easier find the next size up- as well as immediately put clothing she grows out of away. I am so much more motivated to put away the small clothing when I don't have to go in the basement, lug the boxes upstairs, put everything away, lug them back downstairs. Now, all the boxes are all in one place.

I also found a really good idea on Pinterest for cheap storage. Diaper boxes covered in material or scrapbook paper! Here are a few I made for my family room. Since we are downstairs most of the time, I don't want to run upstairs every time to change a diaper or grab a burp cloth. So we keep a fully stocked baby changing station down stairs.